An incredible singer, a fierce person and a kind-hearted woman — yes, it’s none other than Dolly Parton, one of the most renowned country singers. From being recognized for giving us huge hits like Jolien And I will always love you to receive love from her fans for doing remarkable charity work, she has done it all with her hard work, resilience and determination. Amidst all this, Dolly Parton’s weight loss is another remarkable aspect of her life that fans have been looking for.
Dolly has always looked gorgeous and there is no denying that her diet plays a crucial role in helping her stay in shape and maintain a healthy weight. The 78-year-old actress has openly admitted to struggling with weight issues at times and once when her self-confidence was shattered by gaining weight, Sylvester Stallone, her co-star from the 1984 film Rhinestones motivated her to ditch processed foods and become healthier and fitter.
In 1984, she lost her self-confidence and today, in 2024, she is known as a paragon of courage and optimism. But how does she stay healthy and fit at 80? The answer is Dolly Parton’s diet regimen, which consists of low-carb foods, eggs, vegetables and much more (more on that later).
We know you’re curious about your star’s secret to healthy living. But before we get into that, let’s take a quick look at Dolly Parton’s personal and professional highlights.
Who is Dolly Parton?
Dolly Parton, an accomplished singer and actress, was born in Pittman Center, Tennessee, USA. Her mother entertained her and her siblings by singing old ballads, which led Parton to become interested in music.
She has always been diligent in bringing every song she sings to life and began performing as a child. She has appeared on The Cas Walker Show and at the age of 13, and then began appearing on the Grand Ole Oprywhich changed her life. This was when she met Johnny Cash, a late singer-songwriter who motivated her to focus on her instincts when it came to her career.
Today she is celebrated as one of the most talented singers and has many famous songs to her credit, including Joshua, Love is like a butterfly, Here you come againand many more. She has won several prestigious awards, including Grammy Awards, which she has won 11 times.
In addition to being a musician, Parton is also a successful entrepreneur and co-owner of The Dollywood Company, a themed entertainment company. As a philanthropist, Parton has also dedicated her hard work to traveling to various charitable projects and has founded several charitable organizations, including the Dollywood Foundation.
From working hard to taking care of her health, Dolly Parton does it all, effortlessly. Below are all the details of Dolly Parton’s nutrition plan.
Dolly Parton’s Diet
While Dolly doesn’t hold herself back from indulging her taste buds and indulging in her favorite dishes on the weekends, most days she follows a low-carb diet to fuel her energy and maintain that enviable figure she has. Here’s a glimpse of what Dolly Parton eats in a day:
Breakfast
To start the day with an energy boost, 9 to 5 singer eats Folgers with a little cream. In addition to coffee, she enjoys homemade egg salads because they are quick and easy to make. Egg salad on toast with tomato and scrambled eggs are two breakfast options she cherishes. Sometimes, to satisfy her hunger, she also eats bagels with cream cheese, tomatoes and cucumbers.
Read more: Jennifer Lawrence’s Weight Loss: Here’s Why She Swore Off Diets
Although she usually follows a low-carb diet, she allows herself some space on the weekends to enjoy the dishes she loves. However, she doesn’t compromise on moderation and mindfulness when it comes to eating meals.
Coffee is known to contain nutritional antioxidants that help improve overall health and reduce the risk of several diseases (1Eggs, on the other hand, are a storehouse of protein, along with other nutrients such as vitamin D, B12 and iodine (2).
Eggs are high in protein and other nutrients, which aid in building muscle, weight loss, reducing malnutrition and lowering the risk of heart disease.3). That’s why adding eggs to breakfast is a great way to get protein and increase your energy levels.
Lunch
Whether she’s at home or on tour, Dolly makes sure she eats healthy and keeps a variety of homemade low-carb meals in the bus freezer.
Although Dolly’s exact lunch menu is not known to the public, she once revealed in an interview that she follows a low-carb diet during the week. However, when she has a day off, she doesn’t mind eating cornbread with baked potatoes. She also likes to eat seafood and salad for lunch.
Although potatoes have a reputation as a weight-loss food, moderate consumption of fried potatoes every now and then is not detrimental to your health. What’s more, potatoes are rich in vitamins, fiber, and minerals; the skin of potatoes is also known for its high antioxidant and vitamin content, making this humble vegetable less of a villain than people think (4).
Dinner
In an interview, she said that she loves to cook chicken and dumplings for dinner. Southern recipes like green beans, okra and roast pork are other foods she regularly adds to her dinner.
Chicken, like eggs, is a great source of protein and offers a variety of health benefits including improved heart health, muscle endurance, immunity, and more (5She admitted that she likes to try different cuisines and is a fan of Indian, Italian and Mexican food.
In addition, Dolly Parton’s cabbage soup diet has become very popular. This diet involves eating cabbage soup as part of the main meal, along with vegetables.
Does Dolly Parton drink??
When it comes to drinks, red wine is Dolly’s favorite beverage. Red wine offers antioxidant properties and consuming it in moderation may help reduce the risk of heart disease (6).
The diet shows that Dolly is including a lot of protein in her diet and limiting her carbohydrate intake. While this diet works for her and can certainly push you to eat healthy, it is crucial that you do not blindly follow a diet. Always see what works for your body and improve your diet accordingly.
That being said, there are definitely some things that Dolly Parton does right, which her body reflects.
For those trying to count their calories, Dolly Parton’s weight loss tips and tricks can motivate you to push yourself and improve your diet plan.
Key Points From Dolly Parton’s Diet
As mentioned above, Dolly believes in eating everything in moderation. She once revealed that because she is small and gains weight easily, she watches what she eats, and although she gives in to cravings, she makes sure not to overeat, especially something that is harmful to the body.
That is actually a fantastic long term approach to stay healthy and fit and even research proves it. A balanced diet provides you with good fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals and protects you from various diseases like diabetes, heart disease etc. (7).
One of the major highlights of Dolly Parton is following a low-carb diet. According to a study, a healthy low-carb diet helps with weight management and better glycemic control (8). It can help you achieve your ideal weight loss goal and get a slimmer figure.
A low-carb diet basically involves more protein and non-starchy vegetables in your diet. While there is evidence that the diet supports weight management, it is important to talk to a doctor before following a strict low-carb diet.
- Inclusion of fruits and vegetables
The philanthropist regularly includes tomatoes and cucumbers in her meal plans. Tomatoes are abundant in vitamins C and K, folate and potassium and help keep several health problems at bay (9).
Cucumbers, on the other hand, are high in water, packed with fiber, and have powerful antioxidant and potential anti-diabetic properties, making them a superfood for many (10Even if you’re not on a weight loss diet, adding fruits and vegetables to your diet is one of the best ways to increase your energy and get fiber and nutrients.
Although the Jolien singer is careful about what she eats, she doesn’t like to deprive herself of her favorite foods. Occasionally she makes biscuits, milk gravy and sausage patties for herself and her husband.
But does Dolly Parton maintain that slim and trim figure only with a diet plan or does she also exercise? Below is the answer!
Does Dolly Parton play sports?
Although Dolly Parton hates working out, she knows how important it is. That’s why she tries to make her workouts fun. She’s not a fan of the gym and does squats to get fit. Squats are one of the most effective exercises to build core strength, lower body strength, glutes and thighs, improve posture and burn calories (11).
The veteran singer’s talent, charm, poise, and candor are unmatched. Dolly Parton’s diet and fitness routine are a testament to her hard work that shows in her energy — even at 80, she can still turn heads with her grace and captivating personality. Those looking for a sustainable solution to weight loss and healthy eating can definitely get motivation from her and incorporate healthy meals into their diet and improve their health and fitness.
Sources:
1. Antioxidant properties of coffee components: assessment of methods defining mechanisms of action – PMC
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6270823
2. The impact of nutrient composition in eggs and their consumption on cholesterol homeostasis – PMC
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6126094/
3. The Health Benefits of Egg Proteins – PMC
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9316657/
4. Nutritional Value and Health Benefits of Potatoes
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342477867_Nutritional_composition_and_health_benefits_of_potato
5. The role of poultry meat in a balanced diet aimed at maintaining health and well-being: an Italian consensus document – PMC
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4462824/
6. Contribution of red wine consumption to the protection of human health – PMC
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6099584/
7. Defining a healthy diet: evidence for the role of contemporary dietary patterns in health and disease – PMC
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071223/
8. Low Carb Diet – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537084/
9. Tomatoes: A comprehensive overview of the associated health effects of tomatoes and factors that can influence their cultivation
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8869745/
10. Phytochemical and therapeutic potential of cucumber
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23098877/
11. Effects of Body Mass Based Squat Training in Adolescent Boys – PMC
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3761779/